Veterinary Spinal Manipulation or Animal Chiropractic is manual manipulation of the musculoskeletal system to correct mechanical dysfunction, restoring optimal movement and alleviating pain. Subluxation of the spine or limbs, are minor dislocations of joints, often undetectable with x-rays, which cause compression of nerves, blood vessels, lymphatic’s and muscle spindles. Compression of these tissues will cause pain and swelling, impair reflexes, reduce range of motion (ROM) of joints, and lead to atrophy of muscles. Realignment of Subluxation’s with a quick, specific thrust reduces the subluxation and relieves the compression allowing proper blood flow and neurologic and muscular function.
Commonly treated conditions:
- Back, neck pain
- Arthritis and joint pain
- Muscle spasms
- Nervous system disorders
- Accidents or sports injuries
- Maintenance of joint and spinal health
Frequency of treatment is based on the individual patient exam. In most cases, a single treatment is not enough to eliminate the problem, unless it is a routine adjustment for an athlete or working dog. Acute problems will typically show improvement after 1 to 4 treatments. Chronic problems of a longer duration usually take longer to resolve requiring more adjustments, and may also require additional therapies such as acupuncture or laser in combination with the adjustments. With chronic problems rehabilitation exercises and stretches along with adjustments may be recommended. The goal with combining therapies is to get the joints and muscles to maintain their correct position more quickly then with adjusting alone. Adjustments and strengthening exercises are done until the body accepts the new position of the spine as normal and the muscles and ligaments support and maintain this position.
Treatment Time for the initial consultation and treatment is 60 minutes. During the initial exam a detailed history and examination are done which may include x-rays if indicated. Recheck treatments are scheduled for 30 minutes and may include additional therapies if needed. Routine adjustments for athletes, working dogs, and older patients with chronic conditions such as arthritis are also scheduled for 30 minutes. If there are additional medical concerns let the front desk know so appropriate time can be scheduled to address all concerns during the appointment.
Animal chiropractic adjustments are safe, and typically well tolerated by pets.
Done properly, chiropractic treatments are safe, and there are research studies in the US and Canada to support the safety and efficacy of chiropractic adjustments. In cases of acute pain, x-rays may be taken first to make sure more severe conditions such as tumors or disc disease are not present, which may require other interventional treatments before adjusting would be recommended. Most pets enjoy their adjustments and relax during the treatment. Occasionally there may be some discomfort when a joint is realigned and a nerve was being pinched or compressed. There may be some muscle soreness for 1-2 days after an adjustment. When there are significant signs of pain during an exam or treatment acupuncture or pain meds including muscle relaxants may be recommended to reduce the discomfort during or after treatment. Adjustments may be done on all areas, except those that are severely painful. Those areas may be adjusted at the next appointment after pain and inflammation have been addressed with other modalities.
If you are interested in scheduling your pet for an evaluation and adjustment with Dr. Adams contact one of the clinics listed below.